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Thursday, April 26, 2012

These two guys, Peter and John, were always together. We first find them fishing together when they are called by Jesus (Lk 5:10), they were both in the inner circle of Jesus' disciples that witnessed the transfiguration, the healing of Jarius' daughter, and in the garden of Gethsemane, and they were sent together to prepare the Passover meal the night Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper (Lk 22:8).

They are heading to the temple because there are no buildings built for Christians to publicly worship yet. The temple is still the place of meeting, but it soon becomes the place of conflict. I read somewhere that the first type of place wasn't constructed until after 125 A.D. in towns east of Damascus, don't quote me on that. They are headed to the temple at the ninth hour for prayer. This practice of prayer three times a day is frequently mentioned in scripture. Daniel did it out of habit. Dan 6:10. Ps 55:17carries it back to the time of David as well. Those who desired more were not limited to that either. Ps 119:164

While on their way they see a lame man who daily was carried to this door to beg for money, so to speak. He was basically asking for support due to his condition. There would have been a multitude of people there at this time to witness what was about to happen. This man asks alms from Peter and John. He obviously has his head down when Peter tells him to look at them. Peter is trying to give the guy some hope and he wanted his undivided attention. It was common to look the other way as you passed a beggar and Peter was letting him know that this was about to be very different. This time there will be compassion!

I find the next part extremely funny. Peter gets the beggar's attention, looks this lame beggar in the face, and says, I'm broke. I'm sorry but that is funny to me. Now about Peter, what a change we see today huh? Peter is incorrectly thought to be the first Pope. Here we see him physically broke but able to heal a lame man from birth. His usurping "successors" of today can't heal a common cold by themselves but are very rich. That is the exact opposite of Peter. Makes you wonder doesn't it?

Peter tells him he has something better than money, he has Jesus Christ. I want you to know that the greatest gift you can give a person is sharing Jesus' saving power. When you tip a waitress or waiter don't just give money, give them info on Jesus. The best of friends will get you to the feet of Jesus.

This miracle was done "in the name of Jesus" which means "by the authority of" or "by virtue of the power derived by Him." I love the fact that we are told to be baptized in the same authority or powerful virtue derived by Jesus today. They didn't physically see a change take place in the lame man's body did they? NO! They only knew of Christ's healing and saving power was by the way he walked afterwards. The same with baptism. We can't physically see us being born again of the water and the spirit. Jn 3:3-5 We can't see the sins removed. We can't see the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 We can't see us being added to the Lord's Church. Acts 2:47 NKJV We can't see our names being written in the Lamb's book of life. Rev 20:15; 21:27 The only thing we know is that after we are immersed into Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection we are to walk around in the newness of life. Rom 6:4

Many people were probably present to see this man walking, leaping, and praising God. Can you imagine the feeling in this man? HE CAN WALK!! He was lame since birth and he was over forty years old. Acts 4:22I would be running around telling everybody and anybody who would listen. For those of you who know me, I would even try too tell those who wouldn't listen. Remember, this is the time of prayer, people are probably solemnly approaching the temple. Then there is this guy leaping around and they realize it was that lame beggar, what a surprise!

Acts 2:43states that many signs and wonders were being done. Have you ever wondered why the Lord chose this one to be in our Bible? I have and the best solution I can come up with is because of what happens after this is done. We see in chapter four that this miracle resulted in persecution. God doesn't hide that fact that His children will face persecution. 2Ti 3:12Joseph, Daniel, and Jeremiah were all thrown into a pit for sharing the truth! There will be times of these tribulations, even Jesus said that in Jn 16:33. If people aren't mad at you for sharing the truth, you probably aren't sharing the truth. I always say if you aren't suffering any type of persecution you probably aren't doing it right. You probably look so much like the world that the world doesn't know you are a Christian. If the people close to you do not know you're a Christian, God probably doesn't either! These times are all worth it my friends. Rom 8:18

Today, make sure we are sharing the love and saving power of Jesus Christ. There will be consequences for sharing that truth, but it will be worth it in the end. This economy has many people hurting financially but we can still give spiritually! May your message be that of Peter's in Acts 3. "I do not possess silver of gold, but what I do have I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ..." Remember, we are not called to approve how people live. We are called to go, preach, baptize, and teach. Mt 28:19,20Go to someone today, preach Christ crucified, baptize them in the name of, or by the authority of, Jesus (Mt 28:18), and then we can teach them how to live as Christians. We far to often skip the first three and expect the world to live as Christians and that shouldn't be!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

I have noticed that people, including me, often times try to segregate their lives. We have this section of our life for family. Another section of our life for work. Yet another section for church, and so on. We often try to keep them apart. We say, "I leave work at work" when we refer to problems or struggles we have at work. We say, "I will miss service to be with my family" and it may be needed but none the less it is segregated. Have we ever considered the thought that working for the Lord must permeate through our entire life and cannot be segregated? A few weeks ago I taught a lesson on the word "worship" and we discussed a few of the Greek words that are translated worship in the New Testament. One of the was "latreuo", which basically means worship is a lifestyle not just a specific act in a specific place, but a way in which we live. That sure doesn't sound like a segregated life to me. The above tells us that is possible to claim, or profess, Christ and deny him with our works. To me, that sounds like an attempt at a segregated life. Paul tells Titus three things about this type of person.

Before we dig into that, I think it must be said that profession without practice brings condemnation. This will be explained in another paragraph but do we ever think of it like that? We must produce fruit. Mk 11:12-14These verses sound really mean and harsh for Jesus to do, but what we don't realize is that a fig tree there is a little different than our trees here. We know trees to produce leaves then fruit, but figs are the exact opposite. They produce fruit then leaves. Therefore, the tree having leaves should have already been producing fruit but failed to do so! Many Christians are failing to produce fruit but are showing leaves as well. I can't see how an honest Bible student can read the few verses used thus far and still believe in "faith only." But on to our work!

Paul says a person who professes but doesn't practice has a detestable character. This word is often translated "abominable." Have you ever thought that profession and no practice is an abomination? This word means that which is an abomination to God. We are so quick to hammer homosexuality as an abomination and refer people to Lev 18:22but are you prepared to say the same thing to a person who professes and doesn't practice? Both are an abomination to God but we choose which we fight and stand firm on, sadly. Some say the man preaching faith only is not as wicked as a homosexual, but that is if you are writing the Bible. Spiritually they are both an abomination. Both can be repented from. Both can be forgiven. That is why I say profession without practice brings condemnation. Do your works deny Christ? 1Jn 2:4Profession without practice makes you a liar. Rev 21:8 Liars will face a second death. Therefore, profession without practice brings condemnation.

Paul says a person who professes but doesn't practice has a disobedient action. Again, I find it funny that Paul says here to Titus that practicing is obviously commanded because you can't disobey something that was not commanded! If profession without practice is disobedient profession and practice must be commanded! Why then do people try to make Paul and God's Word their sock puppet and support a faith only? You see, the word translated disobedient literally means unwilling to be persuaded, spurning belief, disobedient. It is addressing intentional unbelief. Profession without practice brings condemnation and so does unbelief. Mk 16:16Make no mistake, I know we are saved by the grace of God and no other means. I also believe that that saving grace is PROVED, not EARNED, in our lives by our works. Without a living and working faith we cannot claim to have God's saving grace. If we do that is professing without practicing. When we walk according to the world we are "sons of disobedience" and will be overcome by the "wrath of God"Eph 2:2; 5:6Do you walk according to the world or the Word?

Finally, Paul says a person who professes but doesn't practice has a worthless value. The word translated worthless here is usually applied to metal. It means not standing the test, rejected. You see, if we are professing and not practicing our work is rejected. Our work is not approved by God. We have no value at that point. We must have different works than that of the world. We must delight in God's Word. That is the picture of the tree that doesn't wither! Ps 1:1-3This is why we must meditate on the Word of God day and night. We must seek Godly wisdom. We must meditate on , profess and practice the Word of God so that we are ready to do every good work. 2Ti 3:16-17 I am reminding you to be ready for "every good deed."Titus 3:1

As Christians today we must be seeking the wisdom of God's Word. Remember, wisdom is the proper application of knowledge. Wisdom of God's Word must be our foundation. Sanctification in obedience to God's Word (Jn 17:17) must be our rule. The resurrection from the dead reserved for us in heaven to spend eternity with our Father (1Pe 1:3-4) must be our goal.

Today, are ready to work? Are you ready profess and practice? I said this week in my message that one sermon lived will be far more effective than ten sermons preached. Today, live the Bible, don't just profess it and you will be proving God's saving grace in your life. You will be equipped for every good work. Then and only then you won't be found as an abomination, disobedient, and worthless. Are you ready to work for Jesus with a lifestyle?

Friday, April 20, 2012

I truly believe the word "converted" is disappearing from the 21st century church. The above verse is not saying we are to be childish but that we are to be childlike in our pursuit of power and dominance. Children really care less about those things, but those are the things that drive adults! Remember, Jesus said this right after he was asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" In conversion, the entire person is remade from the inside out, and that is bound to show up in our daily lives. What do we treasure most in life? Consider what Jesus said in Mt 12:35 You see, a new life is the product of conversion! There are steps a person takes as this conversion, or new life, happens. Consider the following...

Faith leads to a new life. Christians live for a world that they have not seen. They lay up treasures in a place they have never been. They are not overly concerned with the things of this world. This is all done is faith! People of the world, however, are very much a part of the world. These people are not merely in the world, as a Christian is, but they are truly a part of the world. Jn 17:14-16I preached a message a month or so ago and I asked the question, "Will someone from your life stand up and witness, that by the way you live, they know you are not a part of this world?" Can someone do that for you?

Faith is a must. Faith changes the way we live. If you faith doesn't change the things you say and do you do not have a saving faith. Does your daily walk in the world reflect that you are converted by your faith? Heb 10:38; 2Co 5:7; Gal 2:20. We must have and live by faith if we plan to please God. Heb 11:6 Notice that faith is more than believable that He is. We must also understand that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him! Too many people think faith is believing that He is, fail to seek him, and are robbed of a reward!!!!

Faith is believing that He is. Faith is believing that He rewards those who seek Him. Faith is believing Jesus is God's son. Jn 8:24We prove this faith is God's son by loving him with our obedience to his commandments. Jn 14:15Having a faith that changes our lives, or converts us, is proving we are "saved by grace through faith." not earning grace! Eph 2:8A person cannot live a Christian life without being converted by faith. The Christian life is a life of faith.

Peter failed to walk on water when his faith failed. The disciples failed to cast out demons when their faith failed. The same thing happens to us when our faith fails. We sink and fail to imitate Christ! A living, active, and saving faith is found in the obedience and practice of God's Word (Jn 17:17) and that is how faith leads to a new life.

Repentance leads to a new life. Our actions prior to being converted nay not have appeared foolish (Titus 3:3) while in the world because we were seeking fleshy things. Rom 8:5. Repentance of something is to quit doing it! We must quit seeking fleshy things if we are to be converted. When we repent of a life of sin we must change that life we lived. We must change all of our behavior. 1Pe 1:14-16. When someone repents due to a strong faith in God's son they are thrusted into a new life. That is how repentance leads to a new life.

Confession leads to a new life. I do not want to spend to much time on this as I have posted on this in the past called, "I confess... I confess..." God has a claim on every life on this planet. Many do not recognize that claim and confession is a way of saying we recognize God's claim on our life. We confess that our creator surely knows more about us than we do, I mean He is our creator!! The confession is a solemn committal to the will of Christ before others! That is how confession leads to a new life.

Baptism leads to a new life. Many people try to elevate baptism and others try to bury it. The Bible has a lot to say about baptism and that is a fact. Here are some more facts, until this point we still have the old self with us and the old sins on us! We have a dirty conscience about our past life. How is that going to change? BAPTISM! In baptism, we have a clear conscience toward God concerning our past life. 1Pe 3:21In baptism, we have our old sins washed away. Acts 22:16In baptism, we lay the old self to rest and rise to a newness of life. Rom 6:1-4In baptism, we have the blood of Christ applied to us and that sets us a part for the service of the living God. Heb 9:14 In baptism, we are clothed with Christ. Gal 3:27nd not of it! That is how baptism leads to a new life.

Today, do you live a life that says you are converted from the old fleshy lusting person you used to be? Do you walk in the newness of life? Do those of the world around you know there is something different about you or do you look too much like the world for them to tell? I always say if the people around you do not know you are a Christian, God probably don't either. Potiphar knew God was with Joseph because of his demeanor, do others know God is with you because of yours? Have you been converted to Christianity or are you just claiming Christianity?

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Leading up to this verse, Peter has been talking about the greatness and the glory that Christians can look forward to. The problem is when someone get so lost in their dreams of the future glory they forget they are in a battle in the present. Many are so focused on the Christian's coming glory they forget of the Christian's current struggles. Eph 6:11,12So to keep Christians focused on our current battles and still looking forward to the coming glory Peter gives a three point reality check to his readers.

The first reality check is to "prepare your minds for action." This is a very vivid phrase. It actually means something like "pull up your sleeves" or how a person will "take off their jacket" when it is time to work. Peter is telling us that we must be ready to put in mental work. We must be ready for a very strenuous mental endeavor. A person who rolls up there sleeves of takes off their jacket to prepare for work does so because they want to work without any type of interference. Do we prepare our minds like that for our faith? This is a reality check, how often do you clear your mind just for spiritual things? Too many of us never clear our minds and fix our eyes on Jesus. We must "lay aside every encumbrance" to do this! Heb 12:1-3How many people can't prepare their minds and focus on the Lord's Supper for a weekly observance? We must never be content with an unexamined faith. Do you believe what you believe from your own personal study or because the preacher said so? If you are of the latter, you are not preparing your mind for work! You may be drifting away (Heb 2:1) because you are not heeding the Word, paying attention to the Word, or preparing your mind for work. Reality check, are you preparing your mind for work? Are you doing all you can to keep your mind free from interference? Are you taking off the mental jacket? Are you rolling up the mental sleeves?

The second reality check is to be sober in spirit. The word sober means to refrain from drunkenness or to be free of the influence of intoxicants. It metaphorically carries the association of watchfulness. Peter is giving the reality check of being steadfast and knowing what we believe. As mentioned earlier, how many people when asked, "Why do you believe this or that" can only reply, "I don't know. It's what the preacher always says." To be free of intoxicants is to not be carried away by a new enthusiasm and then be completely under the influence of the latest craze. Paul tells Timothy the same thing. 2Ti 4:5 This being "sober" is to be in spiritually sound judgment. It is having a spiritual self restraint that will not allow you to be entangled by the allurements of the world. Reality check, are you making sound spiritual judgments from a mind that is prepared to work for Jesus Christ? Many people are so focused on earthly things that all they can think about is getting to the weekend. Why, Monday is just around the corner? I am not ignorant to the fact that we have tough and difficult weeks, but there will be many more. May we focus on Christ from a sober and prepared mind!

The third reality check is fixing your hope on grace. This hope is in something we haven't seen, but we are eagerly waiting for. Rom 8:24,25Grace is often under valued and misunderstood. Many think grace is ticket to sin and lack repentance. Jesus said we all must repent in Lk 13:3. People say, "That was told to the Jews. There is no call of repentance today because we are covered by grace." Well, the book of Acts tells us how the early church grew and how the Lord added people to the church. You do not "join" the church. In this book you can read where God has called all men to repentance. Acts 17:30,31 You can stand in the corner like the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz saying, "I do believe, I do believe, I do, I do, I do, I do believe" and be immersed in every pool, pond, and waterway in the United States, but without repentance you will perish. The greatest characteristic of Christianity is that we live in the hope of grace. It is that hope that gets us through trials of this present time. It is that hope that carries us through our toil and struggles. It it because the Christian knows these struggles leads somewhere great and incomparable. Rom 8:18 The glory that awaits is why athletes train so hard. For Christians, the best is yet to come. I often say when the struggles feel like they are to much to bear, think about how great the glory will be later! Reality check, are you living with the gratitude of mercies for all that was in the past, with the fortitude to meet the struggles of the present, and with the hope of grace that for those in Christ, the best is yet to come? Is that how a friend would describe you? Do you friends and coworkers even know you are a Christian? I always say that if those around you do not you are a Christian, God probably don't either!

This is a reality check to make sure our minds are prepared for working for Christ, our judgments are wanting for Christ, and our hopefulbelieve. He is coming for those who are obedient! 2Th 1:7,8

Today, is a reality check. If Christ would return today would you be found obedient or disobedient. You see God loves us so much He sent his son to be a final and perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is done from His mercy. He gives us His gift of grace that saves us through faith. That faith is determined by our obedience to God's Word not by what we claim to believe! Mt 7:20 In the winter time when you look at mountain it is hard to differentiate between the trees. Yet, in the summer when you look at the same mountain, it easy to differentiate between the trees because you can see the fruit they are producing. Reality check, are you producing Christian fruit because that is what differentiates Christians from other people. Sanctification and holiness are the desire and duties of every Christian!

Friday, April 13, 2012

I find this text as a very sobering one. It is a strong reminder that we far too often overlook. Two key words in these few verses, specifically verse one, in the Greek are prosecho (pay much closer attention) and pararheo (drift away). Vine's defines these words as relating to a nautical sense. These words literally illustrate a ship "drifting away" or passing by its port because the captain didn't "pay close enough attention" to his course. How many Christians let the Word drift away due to a lack of diligence? They will miss their port when it comes time to dock their ship!! Christians should not allow their lives to drift away from the Word in any situation. Our first duty is to seek His kingdom and His righteousness. Mt 6:33How many people drift away from that on Sunday afternoon, let alone all week long? Do we daily fear God and strive to keep His commandments? Ecc 12:13 Are we really counting all things loss to gain Christ? Phi 3:7,8 Brethren, I fear too many are drifting away from the port and don't even realize it.

Think of a Christian as a ship. Many are drifting away because they are not properly anchored. Christ is our anchor! Therefore, the strong tides of this world (temptations) are pulling them away. We lack the care and diligence of strengthening the chain that attaches us to that anchor. The chain is the study and practice of the Word of God. We are becoming very negligent in this matter. The tide pulls, the weak chain breaks, and the ship is now pulled away from the anchor. The world pulls and the Christian who is NOT diligently studying and putting into practice the Word of God WILL BE SEPARATED FROM CHRIST!

Have you ever floated on a tube, raft, or boat on a body of water, other than a moving stream? If you have, did you notice you was drifting? Probably not! That is how the author of Hebrews is describing apostasy here. Often times people do not boldly turn from Christianity, though some do. Most people slowly drift away. Similar to drifting away on a body of water, the Christian is far away from the starting point. They have slowly drifted away and when they realize they have drifted, they have no clue where they are. That is a lost soul my friends. Many invisible, underwater currents (false teachers) pull away the drifting object (Christians).

Verse two is as equally sobering as verse one. Two truths are mentioned concerning the peril of drifting away. First, is the steadfastness of the Word of God. The Word is not able to be altered. What is being said here is the Word of God is sacred and binding. The Word is not to be despised or neglected. Many people in the past have paid a hefty consequence for doing these things. Which takes us to the second truth.

The second truth is "every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty." The Sabbath breaker was stoned, a generation of people died in the wilderness from disbelief and lack of trust, and even Moses was not allowed to enter the promise land for disobedience. WHY SHOULD CHRISTIANS TODAY BE ANY DIFFERENT? Oh yea, we try to abuse God's grace! You see, transgression is sinning when we know it is a sin, or practicing sin. 1Jn 3:4Disobedience is refusal to comply with a command. Jas 4:17I can't remember where I learned it but I heard it taught like this: transgression is sin of commission and disobedience is sin of omission. Nevertheless, both classes of sin will receive a just penalty or consequence. The only way to have that penalty removed or be pardoned is to be anchored to Christ by submission and commission to his Word, Will, and Way! Consider how Peter mentions the penalty received by those who sinned and how God rescues His submissive and obedient godly people in 2Pe 2:4-9.

The most sobering of all is verse three. It ties in the drifting Christian and the sinners consequences. We can't escape the coming consequences where disobedience of the Word of God is involved. The most awful consequences awaits the souls that through disbelief (Mk 16:16), neglect (Mt 7:26), and disobedience (2Th 1:8; Rom 2:8) fails to heed God's message through His son.

A book can be a great teaching tool, but it is useless if it's not opened. The sun drives out darkness, but we can't see unless we open our eyes. Medicine can heal you, but only if you take it out of the bottle and apply it! So it is with Christianity. Christ did his part and now it is up to us to obey. Heb 5:8-9 I have blogged on this before.

How many people reading this will neglect to heed its message. Neglect will condemn many people at judgment day. Peter asks about those who neglect to obey in 1Pe 4:17 The answer to that question is found in 2Th 1:7-9 Consider the one talent person. It was neglect that brought forth his condemnation. Mt 25:24-30Neglecting to obey the command of loving one another by neglecting to meet their needs will have many "go away into eternal punishment." Mt 25:41-46

I know many of you may be thinking this is the type of teaching that drives people away. Chad needs to just share how much God loves us. I believe you already know how much God loves you because he sent His son. Many people need to hear the warning of not heeding what His son said! There are too many people in the world that are like Felix! People are waiting for a better time to respond to the Gospel or will not finish reading this because they are frightened by the possible outcome, but this is the type of message that needs to shared. See what Felix said in Acts 24:24,25

Today, are you heeding and obeying the Word of God? The author of Hebrews said, "...how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Are you ready to escape? Don't neglect the call of God through His son! Listen and obey the Word of God. Let right now be the acceptable time. Let today be a day of salvation!2Co 6:2

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Have you ever truly considered the latter part of this verse? Wow, what a bold statement. "I shall not want", is a sheep who is utterly satisfied with its owner and content with its lot in life. Many feel they are missing things in their lives because they are not satisfied with their owner and not content with their lot. They feel this way because the Lord is not their shepherd, even though some may try to claim He is.

The word "want" is literally speaking of not lacking, not deficient, in proper care or management. It is not speaking of the lusts of the flesh. 1Jn 2:16The word want has a second emphasis and it consists of not desiring anything more. Ps 34:9-10; Phil 4:19"Want" is not referring to struggles and problems. Have you ever thought of David's (the author of this psalm) struggles? He was a man who had intense privation, hardships, personal poverty, and an anguished spirit. We look at him as the king who messed up with Bathsheeba, but he had it good. Sorry, but he had about nineteen attempts on his life. After all that he still says, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." It is just absurd to think we, as children of God, should have no struggles.

Consider men like Elijah, John the Immerser, and Jesus himself. We must keep a balanced view of Christianity and realize these men have experienced great personal tragedy. Should we be any different? Jesus himself said we would have tribulation. Jn 16:33"I shall not want" is not addressing personal tribulations. Look at what Jesus said to the rich young ruler in Mk 10:21. "I shall not want" is not addressing material or physical poverty. Christians must take a long hard look at life and realize he or she may be called on to experience lack of wealth or material benefits. Jesus tells us to do three things. He says we are to deny self, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. Lk 9:23 If you are choosing things in your life that pulls you away from serving the Lord in whatever capacity you desire to serve him, you are not answering the threefold call. I know plenty of people who desire to serve the Lord in mighty ways but they are making decisions in their financial and material lives that keep them from achieving this desire. There are hardships we all face. Yet amid these hardships of following Jesus a person can boast, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."

When all is said and done the welfare of any flock is entirely dependent upon the management of their shepherd. It is the shepherd, manager, boss in your life who makes the difference in your destiny. Are you following Jesus, materials, finances, or self? The decisions you are making answers that question, not what you say. Many people are following the last three but are poor in spirit. Some are following the first one but not the last three. These people are usually full of a deep, quiet, and settled peace. Contentment is the hallmark of the person who is boasting, "I shall not want" because their lives are in the hands of the Good Shepherd. In this country we have unparalleled wealth of material assets yet we are amazingly insecure. We are insecure and unsure of ourselves because we trust too much in the flesh (Pr 3:5,6) and and are spiritually bankrupt.

We must be content with what our shepherd has for us. That is what It means to not be in want. Many are missing things in their lives because they are following the wrong shepherd. We put too many burdens on ourselves. We have a God who wants our burdens so we can be at peace. Ps 68:19In spite of having an owner and shepherd like that some people are just not content with His control. I used to call that person a "Carnal Christian."

I read a story of a shepherd who had an ewe that exemplified a "Carnal Christian." He wrote that the ewe was very beautiful, had a strong constitution, and an excellent coat of wool. She did, however, have one bad fault. She was discontent. He wrote that this one sheep caused more problems than the entire flock combined. He said this ewe would find a way around his fence and would constantly be found feeding on bare, brown, or sun scorched places that were of inferior sorts of what he provided for his flock. Soon enough she taught her lambs the same tricks. They were following her example. Then the other sheep began to follow her bad example of discontentment. He said she had to go because he discontentment was leading others down a dangerous and treacherous path, literally. She was ultimately butchered to protect the flock.

This sheep was not realizing that she would not be in want with her good shepherd. She wanted to venture outside the fold to seek better things and she was cut off from the flock. Today, we call that backsliding. I called that Carnal Christianity. Lately, I have began to call it Haran Christianity because many Christians are only trying to go halfway! When all is said and done, whatever tricky little name we came up with, the discontent sheep will be cut off. Jesus said in Jn 15:1-11that if we don't abide in him we too will be cut off.

Actions speak louder than words, is what my Mom always told me. She said don't listen to people watch people. Jesus said, "...you will know them by their fruits."

Today, be a fruit inspector and make sure your fruits say what your lips say. Make sure you are following the Good Shepherd and not an impostor. Only a sheep in the Good Shepherd's fold can say, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."

Monday, April 9, 2012

This psalm is often referred to as "The Shepherd's Psalm" and that is pretty accurate. The beautiful relationships that are commonly depicted in the Bible are God as the father to His children and God as the shepherd of His flock. Obviously, this is the latter of the two. We will focus in the former part of the main text today. To think that God in Christ is deeply concerned about me as a person gives me great purpose and enormous meaning to my short sojourn on this planet. I hope it has the same affect on you. We often get too focused on the valleys of life and forget that God is the same God in the valley as He is on the Mountain. That is a wonderful song performed by Harold and Elsie Goins.

In this particular psalm, David is speaking not as a shepherd, though he was one, but as a sheep or one of the flock. David has his own life experiences as a shepherd from a youth (1Sa 16:19) and who better to know the importance of the shepherd than he? After all, David knew firsthand that the lot in life of any sheep depended on the man who owned that sheep. That is why David is quick to boast aloud, "The Lord is my shepherd..." Are you quick to tell others that? Do you tell others that the Lord is you owner, manager, caregiver, and sustainer? I pray you do my friends. It is a staggering fact that Christ, through whom such an enormous universe was created, desires to call himself my shepherd and invites me into his fold to be one of his sheep. He said, "I am the good shepherd..." Jn 10:1-14 If the Lord is our shepherd we should know about His character and understand His ability, shouldn't we?

God has brought us into being and He alone should know best how to care for and understand us. It is no accident that God has decided to call us sheep. We, mankind, are just like sheep. We are timid, fearful, stupid, stubborn, and we have bad habits. We will do things that we know will kill us and cause years of suffering later in life! Yet, with all these bad characteristics, Jesus loves us (Jn 13:34), bought us with his blood (Mt 26:28), calls us by his name (Acts 4:12), and is the doorway to the best pasture (Jn 10:9). If those characteristics do not stir up desire to be a sheep in His fold, I am not sure what will. This entire psalm goes on to recount how the Good Shepherd spares no pain for the welfare of his sheep. I read a story from a shepherd in which he tells about how a neighboring shepherd kept his flock. The man said that his neighbor should not have been allowed to be a shepherd as his flock was sickly, thin, weak, and riddled with disease and parasites. He said the neighbors flock frequently lined up along the fence to his fold and stared at his flock, the relationship he had with his flock, and the pastures he provided for his flock.

How many people in the world are hurting and do not know what it is like to be under the care of the Good Shepherd Jesus? They are under the rule of a tyrant. Their shepherd is a liar and a murderer. Jn 8:44He desires to destroy the souls of the sheep by snatching away the things that are good for the sheep. Mt 13:19 Those who belong to him are lined up along the fence of our fold and are staring at us and our shepherd. The problem is we are not sharing with them how to enter our fold. We are satisfied that we are in the fold and not concerned with anything but ourselves.

You know every shepherd has to mark his sheep. Shepherds usually cut a distinctive mark in the ear of their sheep so others will be able to identify the owner of that sheep from a distance. Even in the ancient times slaves had their ears pierced by their owners so for life they were marked to belong to that house. I love how the plan of salvation comes into play here. Do we believe that our Good Shepherd laid down his life for his sheep and have the faith that he can raise us up to eternal life? If so, we must conform ourselves to his rules because our ways are contrary to his. That is repentance. Out of love for our shepherd do we confess him to others? He washes us clean as we are baptized in the likeness of his death burial and resurrection. Finally, we are to live a life that is according to his teachings and commands. That my friends, is being in the fold of the Good Shepherd.

Then we are to be marked by our shepherd. The mark we are to have is love and unity. Jn 17:22-26 If we do not have that mark, we are not going to be easily identified from a distance as one of Jesus sheep! No matter what we claim to believe or we we say. Mt 7:20-22 I read that the marking of the sheep is painful to both parties involved. Jesus tells us to deny ourself, take up our cross daily, and follow him in Lk 9:23Jesus is their shepherd somehow grants them the benefits of his care. Many think they do not have to submit to Jesus' management without paying the price of forfeiting their foolish and fickle way of leading their own lives. WE CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS! Either we belong or we don't.

We must search our hearts and motives. Ask yourself, "Do I carry the mark of unity and love of my shepherd? Do I belong to Him according to how he says I must belong? Do I understand He owns me because He paid for me with his blood? Do I respond to His authority and acknowledge His ownership? Do I find freedom and fulfillment with His care? Do I have a sense of purpose and contentment to be under His direction?" If so, we most assuredly can shout aloud, "THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD!" I don't know about you, but I am thrilled to belong to Him. It is that belonging that gets me through the many ups and downs of life because the Lord is my shepherd. Today, tell someone about your Good Shepherd.